EU asks Israel for clarification over recent settlement plans

Source: MEMO

The European Union asked Israel for clarifications over recent settlement projects, Wednesday.

A statement by the EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Maja Kocijancic said this week the Israeli authorities have further promoted plans, tenders and permits for thousands of settlement units across the West Bank, including, for the first time since 2002, in the heart of Hebron.

According to the statement, the EU has conveyed the expectation that the Israeli would reconsider their decisions, which are detrimental to the ongoing efforts towards meaningful peace talks.

The statement said “the EU’s position on Israeli settlement construction and related activities, including recent evictions in East Jerusalem and plans leading to forced transfer of Bedouin communities in the West Bank, is clear and has not changed: all settlement activity is illegal under international law, and it undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for a lasting peace”.

“The EU will continue to engage with both parties and its international and regional partners, including within the Quartet, to support a resumption of a meaningful process towards a negotiated two-state solution, the only realistic and viable way to fulfil the legitimate aspirations of both parties” it added.